brosnihan



2 sheets-sheet 2'.

.Patented Aug. so, |999. T. H. BnosmHAN. f

RDW BUAT.

(Application med my 2a, 1897.)

(No Model.)

WITNESS 'PATENT THOMAS II. BROSNIHAN, OF LIVERMORE FALLS, MAINE, ASSIGNOE TO MILLETTdt BROSNIHAN, OF SAME PLACE.

RowfBoAT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters latentNo. 609,95dated August 30, 1898. *,Application'flled July 23, 1897.` Serial No. 645,728. (No model.)

l l V To all whom it may concern,.-

Be it known that LTnoMAs H. BRosNIHAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Livermore Falls, in the county of Androscoggin and State of Maine, have invented certain new and useful Improvements'in Row-Boats, of which the following is a full and complete specication, such as will enable those skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. l Y

This invention relates to row-boats and to that class thereof provided with sliding seats and outriggers; and the object thereof is to provide an improved seat-support for boats of this class, also improved supports for the feet and improved rowlocks'; and with these and other objects in view the invention consists in the construction, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention is fully disclosed in the following specification, of which the accompanying drawings form a part, in which- Figure l is a plan view of the 4central part of a row-boat provided with my improvement Fig. 2, a partial section on the line 2 2 of Fig. l; Fig. 3, a plan view of the construction shown in Fig. 2; Fig. 4, apartial section on the line l 4: ofFig. 2;,Fig. 5, a bottom plan view of a detail of the` construction. My improvement is especially adapted for use in connection with what are known as shell or racing boats, and in Fig. l of the drawings I have shown at A a central portion of a boat of this class, and formed therein is the usual central opening, which is provided with a central cross-brace a, two

forward cross-braces a2, a rear cross-brace as,

longitudinal braces a?, a .bottom longitudinal board a5, andthe usual gunwales au.

VMount-ed longitudinally over the crossbraces a and a2 are longitudinal supports o7, one of which is shown in Fig. 2, and mounted directly over said longitudinal bars or supports a7, two of which are employed, are piv oted tracks or ways as, in the tops of vwhich are formed longitudinal groovesfa9 and in the inner sides of each of which is formed a .longitudinal groove am, this groove being said bars or 4supports are downwardly inclined in both directions.

I also provide a seat b4, which is preferably rectangular in form and open in the center and provided with a network seat b5, and secured longitudinally of the bottom of the seat near each side thereof, directly over the tracks or ways a8, are plates or bars lr6, to the opposite ends of which are secured plates 67, vwhich project outwardly beyond the seat in each direction and each of which carries a roller he, and the rollers bs move in thegrooves a" in the tracks or ways 0.8 and support the seat, and these rollers consist of a screw or bolt C, provided with a -head C2 and with a collar C3, and between 1the head C2 and the collar C5 is an annular groove in which ballbearings C4 are'placed, and these ball-bearings are held imposition by a rim or band C5, in the inner perimeter of which is also formed a groove C5, and the rim or band is free to turn on the ball-bearings C4, and the `friction occasioned by these parts is therefore reduced to a minimum.

Secured to the opposite ends of the bars b are bearings D, which project inwardly, and secured to the inner side of said bars b are bearingsh d, which project inwardly, and these seat h4 is also provided at each side with a plate E, which is secured thereto, and each of these plates is provided at its lower end with an inwardly-directed extension E2, and these extensions E2 lit in the grooves d10 at the inner side of the tracks or ways as, and by this means the seat is held in connection v with said tracks or ways, and said tracks or ways are also braced and the seat is free to roll along said tracks or ways, as will be readily understood.

Secured to each of the horizontal bars or supports al, near the front end thereof, are hangers G, in the bottom of which is a pin or bolt g, and connected with each of the tracks or ways d8 is a plate g2, with which is pivotally connected one arm of a toggle-lever g3, the other arm of which is mounted on the pin or bolt g, and said arms of the toggle-lever g3 are pivotally connected at g4, and pivotally connected with the inner hanger G at each side, as shown at g5, is a lever g, which projects inwardly and upwardly, and secured to the front side of said lever, near the lower end thereof, as shown at gi', is a spring gs, the upper end of which is provided with a head g, which is covered with a cushion of rawhide or similar material, as shown at Il, and said spring g8 is provided near its upper end with a backwardly-directed pin 7L, which passes through the upper end of said lever and by means of which the position of the upper end of said spring may be regulated. The rear ends of the horizontal bars or supports a7 are also provided at each side with hangers K similar to the hangers G, this construction being best shown in Figs. 2 and 5, the latter being a bot-tom plan View thereof, and these hangers K support a pin or bolt 7o, and secured to the bottom of the tracks or ways as,

directly over the hangers K, are plates k2, tol

which is pivoted one arm of atoggle-lever 7c3, the other arm of which is pivotally connected therewith at 7a4 and also with the pin or bolt 7c, and pivotally connected with the front of the hangers K at each side is a lever 765, said pivotal connection being made at 766, and these levers are also curved inwardly and upwardly and are provided with springs 797 similar to those secured to the lever g, and which are alssprovided with padded heads, as shown at t.

I also provide tie rods or bars L, which are composed of two sections adjustably connected at L2, and said tie rods or bars are provided at each end with a horizontal end piece L3, in which is formed a vertical slot or opening L4, through which the toggle-levers g3 at the front and 7e3 at the rear pass,.the slot or opening L4, through which the togglelever 7a3 passes, being shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2 and in full lines in Fig. 5, and it will be understood that this construction is exactly the same on both sides or beneath each of the tracks or ways as. The separate sections of the tie rods'or bars L are also pivotally connected with the levers gG and 705, as

shown at L5, the connection between the said tie-rods and said levers being below that of the connection between said levers and the hangers G and K.

As thus constructed, supposing the parts to be in the position shown in Fig. 2, as the seat b4 moves forwardly and reaches the forward end of its movement the runners d3 strike the upper padded ends of the springs gs'of the levers g6 and force said levers forwardly, and this operation forces the tie-rods L backwardly and straightens the togglelevers g3 and raises the forward end of the tracks or ways a8, so that the backward movement of the seat will be on a downwardlyinclined plane, and in this operation, as will be understood, the toggle-levers 7i;3 are also forced backwardly, so as to permit the rear 4ends of the tracks or ways as to drop downwardly, and when the seat reaches the limit ofy its backward movement the runners 073 at the rear end thereof strike the padded ends 7c8 of the springs 75", which are secured to the levers 7t5, and said levers are forced backwardly, the -tie-rods L are forced outwardly, and this operation straightens the toggle-levers 7c3 and raises the rear ends of the tracks or ways as and lowers the forward ends thereof, and the seat b4 in its forward movement moves downwardly and forwardly over an inclined plane, and this operation is repeated as long as the seat is in use, the opposite ends of the tracks or ways a8 being alternately raised and lowered as the seat reaches the limit of its movement in the opposite directions.

By means of this construction it will be seen that the movement of the seat is facilitated, said seat always moving downwardly over an inclined plane, no matter in which direct-ion the seat is moving, and the motion of the seat is thus largely automatic.

My improvement is simple in construction and operation and is perfectly adapted to accomplish the result for which it is intended, and it will be apparent that changes in and modifications of the construction herein described may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention or sacrificing its advantages.

Having fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentl l. A row-boat provided with two longitudinal bars or supports, tracks or ways pivotally connected with said longitudinal bars or supports, a longitudinally-movable seat mounted on said tracks or ways, and devices in operative connection with said longitudinal bars or supports, and with the opposite ends of said tracks or ways for raising and lowering the opposite ends of said tracks or ways, substantially as shown and described.

2. A row-boat provided with two longitudinal bars or supports, the opposite ends of which are downwardly inclined, tracks or ways pivotally connected with the upper side of said bars or supports,a longitudinally-mov- IOO IIO

able seat mounted on said tracks or ways, and devices connected with said longitudinal bars or supports and said tracks or ways, at the opposite ends thereof, for alternately raising and lowering the opposite ends of said tracks or ways,substantially as shown and described.

3. A row-boat provided with two longitudinal bars or supports, the opposite ends of which are downwardly inclined, tracks or ways pivotally connected with the upper side of said bars or supports, a longitudinallymovable seat mounted on said tracks or ways, and devices connected with said longitudinal bars or supports and said tracks or ways, at the opposite ends thereof, for alternately raising and lowering the opposite ends of said tracks or ways, and said seat being provided with rollers which move in grooves formed in said tracks or ways, and at the front and rear thereof with spring projected runners, by which said devices are operated, substantially as shown and described.

4. A row-boat provided with two longitudinal bars or supports, the ends of which are downwardly inclined, longitudinal tracks or ways pivotally supported on said bars or supports, a longitudinally-movable seat mounted on said tracks or ways, and toggle-levers pivotally connected with said tracks or ways, and extending downwardly and pivotally connected with hangers secured to said bars or supports, levers pivotally connected with said hangers and extending upwardly, tie-rods connected with the lower ends of said levers, and provided at their ends with slots or openings through which said toggle-levers pass, and devices connected with said seat for operating said iirst-named levers, substantially as shown and described.

5. A row-boat provided with two longitudinal bars or supports, the ends of which are downwardly inclined, longitudinal tracks or ways pivotallysupported on said bars or supports, a longitudinally-movable seat mounted on said tracks or ways, and togglelevers pivotally connected with said tracks or ways,and extending downwardly and pivotally connected with hangers secured to said bars or supports, levers pivotally connected with said hangers and extending upwardly, tie-rods connected with the lower ends of said levers, and provided at their ends with slots or openings through which said toggle-levers pass, and devices connected with said seat for operating said iirst-named levers, consisting of springoperated runners which project from the front and rear of said seat, substantially as shown and described.-

6. A row-boat provided with longitudinal bars or supports, the ends of which are inclined, tracks or ways pivotally mounted on said bars or supports, a seat mounted'on said tracks or ways, and provided with rollers which move in grooves formed therein, said seat being also provided with side plates which engage with grooves formed in the inner sides of said tracks or ways, spring-operated runners connected with said seat and projecting forwardly and backwardly thereof, hangers connected with said bars or supports, and provided with toggle-levers which are pivotally connected with the opposite ends of said tracks or ways, tie-rods through the opposite ends of which said toggle-levers pass, and 'levers pivotally connected with said hangers, and with said tie-rods, substantially as shown and described.

'7. A row-boat provided with two longitudinal pivotally-supported tracks or ways, a rolling seat mounted on said tracks or ways, and devices for alternately raising and lowering the opposite ends of said tracks or ways, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention l have signed my name, in presence of the subscribing witnesses, this 21st day of July, 1897.

THOMAS H. BROSNIHAN.

Witnesses:

LINCOLN G. HATCH, WALTER A. FRENCH. 

